Piano Literature II


French Music of the late 19th Century

Readings: Grove articles on Franck and Fauré (look for references to piano music; no need to read complete articles!)
Also read pp. 41-63 of Jean-Michel Nectoux's Gabriel Fauré: A Musical Life. Trans. Roger Nichols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991. ML410.F27 N43 1991

Listening:
César Franck: Prelude, Choral et Fugue
Gabriel Fauré:  Theme and Variations, Barcarolle No. 3, Nocturne No. 6

Currents to think about: Neoclassicism, salon music vs concert music, nationalism (German vs French), how does French technique differ from German (think about Brahms), the influence of organ playing (both of these composers were organists), the influence of Liszt and the cyclic/transformative mode.